For As Long As We Both Shall Live
by Millemini
Summary: Sequel to "To Live Again" in the form of one-shots. Annie and Auggie's life as a married couple and as parents. If you're not familiar with "To Live Again" it's an AU story with a sighted, paraplegic Auggie in a wheelchair. He's a computer engineer and Annie works as a freelance translator and travel writer. Rated T to be safe. Chapter 15: "I'm there for you bro" - Part 2
1. It's not a thermometer Auggie

_I haven't been able to let go of the alternate universe I created for "To Live Again", I had so much fun writing that story and so many of you liked it - the number reviews and follows, as well as the number of hits it received told me that. Here's the sequel. It'll be a series of one-shots, focusing on Annie and Auggie's life as a married couple and as parents._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other character borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe. ;o)_

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**-1. It's not a thermometer Auggie...-**

Auggie was surprised to find the house quiet when he got home from work a Wednesday afternoon in the middle of October. Annie's car was in the garage and he'd expected to find her in the office working or in the kitchen preparing dinner. The office was dark and the kitchen was abandoned. He quickly checked the table in the hallway to see if Annie had left him a note. Nothing.

"Annie! Are you here?" he called down the hallway toward the master bedroom.

"Bathroom," she called out.

Auggie quickly made his way to the master bathroom. Annie was sitting on the edge of the toilet seat with what looked like a thermometer in her hand. What he didn't understand what why she was staring anxiously at it.

"Annie? Are you okay? Do you have a fever?"

Annie snorted. "This isn't a thermometer Auggie."

Auggie was confused for a few seconds, until realization dawned on him. It was a pregnancy test. They had been married for almost 15 months and they'd been trying to get pregnant since their honeymoon. Trying meant that Annie had gone off the pill and they'd decided to let nature take its course.

"What does it say?"

"I don't know. I didn't want to look at it alone. I just froze…" Annie's voice trailed off. Auggie moved closer and grabbed her free hand.

"How long have you been sitting here?"

"A while…"

"Annie!"

"A couple of hours."

Auggie shook his head. "Well, I'm here now. Shall we?"

Annie nodded and held the display up for Auggie to see. He took a deep breath and looked at the tiny screen.

"So...?" Annie asked in a small, trembling voice.

"I'm guessing a smiley face is good?" Auggie queried as a smile started spreading across his face.

"Absolutely! Oh my god! Auggie! We're having a baby!" Annie squealed with excitement and jumped from her seat and seconds later she was sitting in Auggie's lap. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in for a tight hug and then a passionate kiss.

"Finally," he whispered into Annie's hair.

"We have to get it confirmed by my doctor before we start spreading the news, but this is supposed to be the best, most accurate test on the market, so we can be pretty sure the result is right."

* * *

Two days later Annie had an appointment with her doctor and he confirmed that she was indeed pregnant. She was about eight weeks along and she was due to give birth in May. Auggie had an important meeting at work and hadn't been able to go with her to the doctor. Now she was impatiently waiting for him to get home from work so she could share the good news with him. She tried to kill time by working on a translation assignment she'd received that morning, but she couldn't focus and her progress was slow. At 5:20 in the afternoon she finally heard Auggie's car in the driveway and the garage door open. She quickly saved her work and shut down the computer, before she walked down the hall to the garage. She opened the door just as Auggie transferred from the car to his wheelchair. Just as he turned to head up the ramp to the door he realized that his wife was leaning against the doorframe.

"I take it the doctor had good news?" he asked as he saw the wide smile on her face.

"Very. We'll be parents in May," Annie answered.

"For real?" Auggie asked as he made his way up where Annie was standing, a little boy grin spreading across his face.

"For real. We did it Auggie. In seven months time we'll be parents."

"C'mere Mrs. Anderson," Auggie said as he tugged on Annie's hand. She leaned down and they shared a passionate kiss. "Wanna go out and celebrate? It's Friday and we haven't been out for a while."

"Sure. But first I'd like to share the news with our families. How about you?"

"I agree. We have some phone calls to make."

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_Hope you're along for the ride; more to come soon._

_Please leave me a review and let me know what you think._


	2. Worst case scenario?

_Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites I've received for the first chapter - glad there seems to be interest for this storyline. :o) _

_The second chapter is inspired by a friend of mine's pregnancy, she had horrible pelvic girdle pain, but recovered pretty well after labor. I wanted a bit of Auggie supporting Annie through a rough time and thought this was a good storyline for that._

_If you haven't read "To Live Again" Michelle is Auggie's physical therapist, that he's worked with since he finished rehab. In "To Live Again" she also helped Annie recover from a broken ankle._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or the other characters I've borrowed from CA. Just my alternate universe and the characters I've created._

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**-2. Worst case scenario?-**

Annie's pregnancy was far from a picnic; pelvic girdle pain had affected her mobility severely and by the time she was seven and a half months pregnant she struggled to walk more than a few feet, even with crutches. Auggie had been thrilled when they found out they were expecting twins; coming from a large family he wanted multiple children. Annie was more hesitant, she was happy she was pregnant too, but the prospect of two babies at once was a bit daunting to her. Auggie's excitement helped calm her nerves a bit, she knew he'd support her in every way he could.

The thing that worried her Annie most was her mobility; the pelvic girdle pain had gotten so bad that she'd had Auggie get his old wheelchair from the garage, but it hat turned out that the seat that was adjusted to Auggie's slim frame was too narrow for her pregnant body and the low back on it didn't provide enough back support for her. With the help of their physical therapist, Michelle, Auggie had arranged for a rented chair that fitted her needs better and it had been a huge relief when it arrived. She'd researched the condition online and all the worst case scenarios had her brain working on overdrive; there were woman that didn't recover and ended up depending on wheelchairs and crutches for years after their pregnancies, a few for the rest of their life.

"Annie, talk to me," Auggie insisted a Thursday evening about a month before her due date. "What's on your mind?"

They were in bed and Annie was as comfortable as she could get, her body supported by multiple pillows.

"What if I don't recover from this Auggie? I know I've got it bad and I'm afraid I'll end up with permanent mobility issues. What if our kids end up with both their parents in wheelchairs?"

"I hate to see you in so much pain honey, but most women get much better soon after they've delivered their babies. You've done everything right; tried to exercise as much as you've managed despite the pain, worked with Michelle, you've eaten right and haven't put on that much weight. In less than a month it's over and we're parents."

"But what if…"

Auggie cut her off. "If we end up with a worst case scenario we'll make it work; the house is already fully accessible so that won't be a concern. If we need help we'll hire a nanny or something. We'll figure things out. We always do."

"I know we do Auggie. It's just…"

"Sssssh," Auggie cut her off. He scooted closer to her and placed his right hand on her belly. "Try to get some sleep."

"Okay, I'll try. I love you."

"Love you too."

A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A

Three and a half painful weeks later Annie was admitted to the hospital and delivered healthy twins, a boy and a girl, by c-section. To her, and Auggie's, relief the pelvic girdle pain symptoms decreased fast after the delivery and they returned the wheelchair to the rental company not long after Annie was discharged from the hospital. She still felt some discomfort, but Michelle had assured her that it was normal and with right exercise and some physical therapy she'd be back to normal soon.

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_Please let me know what you think :o)_


	3. Exchange student?

_Another little one-shot in this series. Big leap in time - A&A's twins are freshmen in high school. It's inspired by the conversation I had with my own father when I wanted to go to the US as an exchange student years ago._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or the characters I've borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just the characters I've created and my universe._

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**-3. Exchange student-**

"Dad, do you have a minute?" 15-year old Ethan Anderson leaned against the doorframe in his father's home office a Tuesday afternoon in the middle of September.

"You know I always have time for my kids," Auggie replied with a smile. "Come on in and have a seat."

Ethan settled into the couch in his father's office and Auggie released the brakes on his wheelchair, moved away from his desk and positioned himself so he was face to face with his son. It had been the customary arrangement for their man-to-man talks for as long as Ethan could remember.

"So, what is it you want to talk to me about?" Auggie asked after a few beats of silence. He was leaning forward, forearms resting on his thighs with an encouraging look on his face.

"Well, I've been thinking about something...for a while actually. I really want to go to Europe as an exchange student my sophomore year, at least for one semester."

"Any thoughts of where in Europe you would want to go?" Auggie wasn't surprised that Ethan wanted this. He had his mother's talent for languages and had expressed that he wanted to study linguistics and travel after he finished high school. Whenever Annie shared stories from her travels around the world, both the ones before she met Auggie and the ones she'd done for work more recently Ethan seemed to be mesmerized and he listened intently; taking in every detail.

"Well, at first I thought it would be kinda' cool to go to Sweden, 'cause we have relatives there, but I reconsidered and realized that France, Germany or Italy would be more useful language wise. I doubt I'd have much use for Swedish in the future."

"I see. Seems like you've put some serious thought into this. Have you discussed it with your mother? She's the linguist and globetrotter, compared to her I've barely travelled."

"She thinks it's a good idea, but she said I had to take it up with you. That you'd have the final word in the matter."

Auggie thought for a few moments. "Here's what I suggest; you gather some information about the cost, different organizations to travel with…stuff like that. I'd also like to know if it means that you'd have to graduate a year later or if you'd be able to get the year approved here. Maybe you can talk to a counselor at school about it? I'll talk it over with your mother and we can all sit down and discuss it this weekend. Okay?"

"Thanks Dad. I'll ask for a meeting with a counselor tomorrow and I'll talk to my buddy Rob too. His sister spent her junior year in Germany, so I'm sure he or someone in his family can help. Does this mean there's a chance you'll let me go?" Ethan could barely conceal his excitement. Like his mother he was an adventurous sprit and he'd been dreaming about being an exchange student for a while; he wanted to experience the world beyond the safe confines of Tysons Corner, Virginia. He knew it wasn't cheap and although his parents were pretty well off financially he'd never been spoiled. From an early age they had instilled the importance of a good work ethic on him and his twin sister.

"I haven't decided either way yet Ethan. I want to talk with your mother and I need more information before I decide. Don't get your hopes up, but don't write it off either. Deal?"

"Got it Dad. I guess I've gotta get back to my homework."

A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A-A

Later that evening Auggie and Anne were in bed and Auggie decided to mention his talk with their son to his wife of close to 18 years.

"So, Ethan and I had a little conversation this afternoon."

"Oh, he came to you about wanting to spend a year as an exchange student in Europe?"

"He did. He said he'd mentioned it to you and you said it was up to me."

"Did he? I may not have put it exactly like that. I told him we all need to talk about it and that you and I both have to agree. So, what do you think about the idea?"

"Well, it's not the worst idea the kid has ever had. He really has a knack for languages and despite the fact that he's inherited your adventurous streak he's a pretty responsible kid."

"You know, I really want to let him go. I think it'll be good for him to see some of the world. As much I sometimes hated my rootless upbringing I'm grateful for all the stuff I experienced. I'm glad that we've given our kids what I always wanted myself; stability and predictability, but sometimes I think they need some more adventure in their lives."

"I'm tempted to let him go too. I told him to get some information together and we'll all sit down and talk about it over the weekend. I'll do some research too, I know a couple of my co-workers have sent their kids to Europe for a school year, so I'll see if they can't give me some tips."

"Sounds like a plan Aug," Annie said, stifling a yawn.

"G'night babe. I love you."

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_The muse feeds off reviews - please leave one and let me know what you think :o)_


	4. Grocery shopping

_As always; I really appreciate the reviews, follows and favorites received. I'm glad you're enjoying the story._

_Here's a little story that was inspired by my own childhood. I'm not a twin, I have a younger sister, but mom once said that going solo to the grocery store with the both of us was "interesting" and something she usually tried to avoid if possible._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other Covert Affairs character that might appear. Just the characters I've created and my universe._

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**-4. Grocery shopping-**

"Okay guys, are you ready to go grocery shopping with Daddy?" Auggie asked his 5-year old twins Elizabeth and Ethan. Annie was overseas on a writing assignment for the week and Auggie and the kids were alone for the week. It wasn't the first time and they had a pretty good routine going for these outings, but grocery shopping with two 5-year olds had a tendency to get more 'interesting' than Auggie appreciated, especially if one of them decided to be difficult. Lately Elizabeth had been a bit of a challenge to deal with, especially if she was refused something.

"Yes Daddy, we're ready," Elizabeth replied eagerly. Her eager, happy response gave Auggie hope that this might be a tantrum-free trip.

"Okay, you two settle into your car seats and I'll buckle you in," Auggie said as he unlocked his car. The kids climbed into their car seats in the back while Auggie locked the door into the house. After Auggie made sure they were both securely buckled in he settled into the drivers seat and quickly disassembled his wheelchair and put it in the front passenger seat with practiced movements.

* * *

Fifteen minutes later he pulled into one of the handicapped parking spaces outside Safeways and as normal the kids waited in the car until he had put his wheelchair together and transferred to it. He got Ethan out first, then Elizabeth, and they headed into the store. When they reached the carts Auggie looked at his children.

"Okay guys, you know the drill. Grab a cart and let's start shopping."

"Daddy, I wanna sit on your lap, I don't wanna push a cart," Elizabeth whined. Auggie sighed. This had happened a few times lately.

"Lizzie, if you don't push a cart I'll have to grab a basket and put that in my lap. There's not enough room for everything we need in Ethan's cart. Sitting in my lap isn't an option today."

"But Daddy…"

"No Lizzie. We need enough food to manage 'till Mom gets back and there's nothing wrong with your legs." Auggie's tone was firm and left no tone for argument. Elizabeth reluctantly grabbed a kiddie cart and followed her dad and brother into the store. By the time they were done in the fruit and vegetable section her mood had lifted slightly. They reached the meat section and the clerk greeted them cheerily. He'd known Auggie since he moved into the neighborhood 10 years earlier.

"It's the Anderson's! How are you today?"

"Hi Pete! We're good, just getting some food. Annie's away for work. What's good today?"

"How about my famous homemade hamburgers? I made a batch this morning. We've also got some marinated chicken breasts, they're filled with a fresh herb butter that flavors them from inside when they're cooked."

"Burgers Daddy," Ethan insisted, jumping up and down next to him.

"Noooo, I want chicken." Elizabeth's pouty tone was back.

Auggie sighed inwardly. Despite being twins his kids were rarely in sync on anything and Elizabeth's tendency to pout and whine had just increased lately.

"How about burgers tonight and chicken tomorrow?" Auggie suggested. Elizabeth didn't say anything, she was leaning against Auggie's side and fiddling with the drawstring on her hoodie. Auggie put his arm around her shoulders. "What do you say Lizzie? I know you like burgers. We can bake buns when we get home. I'll even get the seeds you like, so you can decorate them." That did the trick and Auggie had to stop her from running ahead to the baking aisle to find the seeds.

"Okay Pete, we'll take four small and two large burgers, and three chicken breasts."

* * *

By the time they reached the cashier twenty minutes later Elizabeth's mood was better and she worked with her brother to put the groceries on the belt. By the time Auggie paid for everything the bagger had finished packing the groceries and had put them in a regular cart. He followed them to the car and helped load the groceries into the trunk. When he was done Auggie tipped him generously and thanked him for his help.

"Thank you, Sir. My pleasure, it's my job. Y'all have a nice evening."

A few minutes later the kids were secured in the back seat and Auggie had settled in behind the wheel. As he backed out of the parking space a small, self-satisfied grin spread across his face. He'd gotten through another solo shopping trip with the kids without major incidents.

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_Please feed the muse - she loves reviews :o)_


	5. Why can't you walk Daddy?

_Thank you so much for the reviews - the muse was so pleased that she decided reward you with this chapter. :o)_

_I've had several requests for a chapter where Auggie's kids ask him abut why he's in a wheelchair and I decided to give it a go._

_DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie, Auggie or any character I've borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and the characters I've created._

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**-5. "Why can't you walk Daddy?"-**

"Why can't you walk Daddy?" Ethan asked Auggie as he helped him load the dishwasher after dinner. Annie had rushed off to take Elizabeth to her ballet class in Georgetown, so he was alone with their son. Auggie had been expecting the question for a while; Ethan and Elizabeth had started first grade about a month earlier and Auggie knew it only was a matter of time before his kids would realize that their dad was different than the other kids' dads.

"I was in an accident many years ago and injured my back."

"What kind of accident? Did you trip or something?"

"I was in Aspen with Grandma, Grandpa and all of your uncles from Illionis and we decided to go skiing outside the slopes, because it was lots of fresh snow and we thought it would be fun. I didn't see the big rock that was hidden under all of the snow and crashed into it."

"I've crashed into things with my bike, but I can still walk," Ethan said thoughtfully. Auggie smiled.

"I broke my back when I hit the rock and it injured my spinal cord. That's why I can't walk."

"Oh..." Ethan looked puzzled and Auggie realized he needed to explain it more carefully to him.

"Inside your spine," Auggie lightly traced his son's spine from the neck and down to the waistband of his jeans with his right index finger, "is your spinal cord and it holds lots of nerves. Nerves carry messages from the brain and to every part of your body, telling them what to do. The nerves that tell my legs to walk were damaged, so they don't work anymore."

"Oh, so it's kind of like the power cord for your legs was cut? Like Julio did with the weed eater the other day?" Ethan pondered. Julio was a sophomore in high school that lived a few blocks away; he helped them around the yard from time to time and when he'd been trimming the edges of their driveway a few days earlier he hadn't been paying attention to the whereabouts extension cord had he'd accidentally cut it. Auggie smiled at his sons reasoning.

"I guess you could put it that way," he agreed.

"Are you sad that you can't walk?" Ethan asked after a few beats of thoughtful silence.

"Not anymore, but right after the accident I was very sad, and scared too, because I didn't know much about not being able to walk. After a while I got the hang of using a wheelchair and I realized I could still do most of the things I'd done before."

"Did Mom help you so you weren't sad anymore? Mom's really good at cheering me up when I'm sad."

"Yes and no. I didn't know your mother when I was injured, but I was still kind of sad when I met her a few years later and she helped me a lot then."

"I'm glad you're not sad anymore Daddy."

"So am I buddy," Auggie said with a smile as he ruffled his son's unruly dark blonde hair. "Why don't you go get your books and we can look at that math assignment that's giving you trouble?"

"Do I have to?" Ethan pouted. His sister had inherited Auggie's talent for math and computers, so he was less than thrilled about the prospect of doing his math homework.

"Yes, and the faster you get it over with the faster you can do something more fun," Auggie said firmly. "As soon as you're done with your homework you can play your new video game until Mom and Lizzie gets back."

Ethan seemed to perk up a bit and headed down the hall toward his bedroom to get his books.

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___I'm a bit insecure about writing children as I don't interact with children on a regular basis. I really hope it's not too unrealistic. Please leave a review and remember that all constructive criticism is most welcome. _


	6. Ethan in trouble

_Here's another chapter. Enjoy! :o)_

_Another story idea have dropped into my head: Would you be interested in reading a prequel to "To Live Again"? It would be just about Auggie's recovery after his accident. Some conversations with my boyfriend about his time in the hospital and rehab have given me some great ideas for a story. Not sure if many people would be interested though, since it won't involve Annie or an Annie/Auggie relationship._

_DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie, Auggie or any other Covert Affairs character I've borrowed. Just my alternate universe and characters._

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**-6. Ethan in trouble-**

A Tuesday morning Auggie pulled into the parking lot outside his kids' school. Annie was out of the country on a translation assignment and when they couldn't reach her they called Auggie. He'd barely been at work for an hour when his cell phone rang and the office assistant told him Ethan was in trouble and requested he'd come immediately to attend a meeting with the principal. The office assistant had been pretty vague on the phone, despite Auggie's effort to get more information from her. With a sigh he settled into his wheelchair and rushed inside; ten minutes later he was in the principal's office, Ethan was sitting in the chair next to him with his shoulders slumped and his head bowed.

"As you know Mr. Anderson we don't tolerate fighting in our school, no matter how noble the cause may be."

"Of course not Mr. Adams. What happened?"

"Well, there's no way to sugarcoat this... A few boys in your son's class were taunting him because of your disability. I'm not sure exactly what was said, but I know the word cripple was used. Ethan punched two of the boys in the face and several boys ended up in a fight. We obviously don't condone the boys' taunting your son or saying offensive things about you, action will be taken about that, but as I said we have a no-tolerance rule when it comes to fighting and your son is suspended for the rest of the week."

"That's not fair," Ethan exclaimed. "I was only defending my dad. They had no right calling him names like that. He's the best daddy in the world."

"Ethan, as much as I appreciate you standing up for me like that Mr. Adams is right; fighting is not acceptable under any circumstance. Now be quiet; we'll talk about this when we get home."

Ethan slumped back into the chair and Auggie turned his attention back to Mr. Adams. "I'll make sure he keeps up with his schoolwork while he's home and we'll have a good talk about this."

"Good. I'm sorry for interrupting your workday Mr. Anderson and I hope the suspension doesn't cause too much trouble."

"My kids come first and I can work from home for a few days. If I have to go into the office for a meeting I'll just bring him and he can do schoolwork in my office. We'll figure it out."

"I suggest you drop by Ethan's home room teacher to get his assignments for the rest of the week before you take him home."

"We'll do that. Anything else you need from me?"

"There's some paperwork you need to sign. Ms. Callahan's got"

"Okay. Come on Ethan, let's go get your backpack and assignments and we'll get out of here."

* * *

An hour later Auggie and Ethan got home and Auggie told Ethan to sit down by the kitchen table. Auggie settled in directly across from him.

"Okay kiddo, you've got some explaining to do. I want the full story; no omissions or lies."

"They were saying mean things about you and I defended you."

"You already said that, but what happened?"

"Sean started it," Ethan said, somewhat reluctantly.

"He's the new kid, right?" Auggie asked, he vaguely remembered there was a new boy in his kids' class.

Ethan nodded and carried on. "He said he was sorry for me and Lizzie because you're a useless cripple and then he said that Mom probably just stuck with you because she was feeling sorry for you. I tried to tell him that you and Mom met after your accident and that you're not useless and that it's not okay to call anyone a cripple… I just couldn't get him to listen; he kept on and didn't listen to me. He got a few other people to agree with him. I got angry and I hit Sean and his friend. I know I shouldn't have, but the way he talked about you and Mom just…" Ethan's voice trailed off and a tear rolled down his cheek. A wave of emotion washed over Auggie; he was oddly proud of Ethan for standing up for him and part of him wanted to give him a hug and tell him it was okay. Auggie hated that his disability had caused Ethan to end up in the situation in the first place. He was also painfully aware of that he couldn't let Ethan scot free off for fighting.

"Ethan, I'm sorry that you were in a situation where felt you had to stand up and defend your mother and me. Unfortunately there are many ignorant people in the world and I can't guarantee that you'll never be in that situation again. I think it's safer to assume it will happen again than that it won't. That said; violence is not an acceptable way of solving anything and I won't let you get off for fighting without consequences."

"I understand Dad," Ethan said, hanging his head. "No video games or movies for a month, right?" It was the worst kind of punishment he could think of.

"I think for the rest of the week will do. And you have to keep up with your schoolwork while you're on suspension. I'll be working from home as much as possible; you can't interrupt me and if I have to go into the office you're to stay in my office and not cause trouble. Got it?"

"Okay Dad."

"I have to call my boss and let him know what's going on. You can go to your room and work on today's assignments."

Ethan scooted off the chair and headed down the hall to his room.

* * *

Auggie's first call was to Annie. He got lucky and caught her in her hotel room, taking a break before going out to have dinner with a friend.

"Hi Auggie. What's going on?" He could hear the tenseness in her voice; he rarely called her when she was travelling for work, unless something was going on with the kids.

"Ethan got suspended from school for fighting. Apparently the new kid, Sean, was taunting him because I'm a useless cripple and you're only staying with me because you feel sorry for me. After trying to defend us verbally to no avail he ended up slugging Sean and one other boy. It ended up as a full fledged fight with several kids involved."

"Oh my…" Annie breathed.

"No shit! Part of me is proud of the way he stood up for us, but he's got to learn that fighting is not acceptable, no matter how noble the cause is. I told him no video games for the rest of the week and he's got a lot of schoolwork to keep him busy during the day."

"Good call Auggie. I'll be home on Saturday, sorry you have to deal with all of this alone."

"Don't worry about it. Just try to enjoy the rest of your stay and say hi to Jon."

"Thanks Auggie. I love you."

"Love you too babe. See you Saturday."

* * *

_Please leave a review and let me know what you think of this and my new story idea. :o)_


	7. Sleep deprivation

_Super short chapter that just dropped into my head._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any character borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and characters._

* * *

**-7. Sleep deprivation-**

"Will we ever get a full night's sleep again?" Auggie said with a yawn as he settled back into bed. The twins were getting close to four months old and Auggie couldn't remember the last time he'd gotten more than two hours of uninterrupted sleep.

"In a few years babe," Annie mumbled sleepily.

"I'm seriously considering investing in one of those high backed electric wheelchairs that recline. I could just sleep in the wheelchair and not deal with the hassle of transferring in and out of bed every time one of them cries."

"Those things cost what? Thirty grand? Fifty?"

"A good night's sleep is priceless," Auggie stated with a stifled yawn.

"Funny. Seriously Auggie, I get your frustration, but we're not spending a bucket load of money on something we don't need."

"You're mean," he fake pouted. "You really don't think your had working disabled husband deserves a good nights sleep?"

"Well, the kids are sleeping now, so why don't you take advantage of the opportunity and get some shuteye? And by the way; you don't get any points with me playing the disabled card."

"You're mean, but I love you," Auggie said as he adjusted his pillows and buried himself deeper under the covers. To his amazement he got almost four hours of sleep before his alarm clock rang and he had to get ready for work. Even if he was sleep deprived and felt tired most of the time he wouldn't have it any other way; the joy of being a father overshadowed everything else.

* * *

_That's it. As I said - super short! Hope you liked it. :o)_


	8. Time to move on?

_So happy that many of you are enjoying these small glimpses into the future. :o)_

_This sort of ties in to the prequel I'm writing about Auggie's recovery and rehab after the accident that landed him in a wheelchair._

_DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie, Auggie or any other Covert Affairs character. Just my characters and the universe I've created._

* * *

**-8. Time to move on?-**

"I got a job offer today," Auggie said, putting his book down on his nightstand.

"You did? What kind of job? For who?"

"A management position at a security software company that's just starting up. It's a great opportunity to be part of it from the beginning; to really shape the company and influence the product from the very start. The pay is great too."

"But?" Annie sensed that something was holding Auggie back.

"Huh?"

"I sense there's a but in there."

"Well… I feel pretty loyal to Murphy. To Arthur. I owe them a lot."

"What do you owe Murphy? Or Arthur for that matter?"

"I hadn't been working there for long when my accident happened, only a few months. They recruited me straight out of college."

"I know that. But that still doesn't explain this debt you feel you have to them."

"It was a about a week after my accident; I was pretty drugged up on painkillers and I vaguely remember half sitting in bed, I'd been fitted with a back brace to stabilize my spine, the custom made kind in hard plastic, and I was trying to find a somewhat comfortable position. I tell you; finding a comfortable position when your upper body is enclosed in a hard plastic shell that cuts into your thighs if you sit up too straight is virtually impossible. Anyway, enough about that; I guess Mom had dropped my stuff off at the hospital before they'd gone back to Illinois and a nurse had helped me get my phone out and charged it for me. I was freaking out about everything, my mind was racing, but the fact that I had some sensation in my legs and managed to wiggle my toes gave me some hope that I'd walk again; even though the doctors had said it was unlikely. I worked up the courage to turn on the phone and face my VoiceMail. Initially I dreaded making the call. I was prepared for him to offer me a severance package and let me go. Instead he made it very clear that he'd hired me for my brain and not my athletic abilities and as long as my brain was still working I had a job waiting for me whenever I was ready to come back. It wasn't the answer I'd expected at all and it was huge relief that he was so understanding."

"Why shouldn't he be understanding? It's not like you asked for the accident to happen."

"He had a reputation as a hardass that had very little tolerance for people being unable to work; even if they had valid excuses for their absences, like cancer."

"I'm sure there were other reasons for letting those people go."

"So am I, but back then I didn't know better. Remember, I'd only worked there for a few months and there were plenty of people out there that wanted my job. He could've easily replaced me."

"But still, why do you feel you owe them so much?"

"Apart from making it crystal clear that my job was waiting for me whenever I was ready to come back Arthur had his brother help me sell my condo and buy this place. The condo was on the 3rd floor of an old building with no elevator, so moving back there was out of the question. I struggled to get up the stairs on crutches a few times, to help with the packing, but Arthur's brother made all the arrangements with movers and Arthur and his wife pitched in too. They really went above and beyond, but at the time I wasn't talking to my family, so I didn't have anyone to help me."

"But Auggie; that was more than 15 years ago, you've been very loyal to Murphy for all those years. You've been talking about wanting new challenges for a while; don't you think it's time? You'll be 40 in a few months and this sounds like a great opportunity."

Auggie leaned back against the pillows and exhaled. He knew Annie had a point. He had stayed with Murphy for more than 15 years and he'd always prided himself in doing the best job he possibly could. Maybe it was time to move on and take a step out of his comfort zone?

* * *

_What do you think? Should Auggie take a step out of his comfort zone and move on to a new job? Or should he stay at Murphy out of loyalty and gratitude for their support after the accident?_


	9. My Dad, the cheesy romantic

_**I've set up a Twitter account and I'll tweet when I update my stories. The Twitter handle is: Millemini_FF. Follow me! ;o)**_

_Here's another little tidbit. Figured a little bit of conversation between Annie and her daughter would be fun. I had a similar conversation with my mom as a teenager - although my father is far from a cheesy romantic. He married mom because she was pregnant with me and their parents insisted._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any character borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and the characters I've created._

* * *

**-9. My Dad, the cheesy romantic**

"Mom, can I ask you something?" 15-year old Elizabeth Walker Anderson was sitting on one of the barstools by the kitchen island, watching her mother cook dinner. It was usually her father's job, but he'd been away for a work conference and was on his way home. Annie wanted to have dinner ready for him for a change.

"Sure. You know you can ask me anything. What do you want to know?"

"How did you meet Dad?"

"Back when I met Auggie I was working freelance and I rented an office downtown. I usually had lunch at a café just around the corner from the office and your dad came there for lunch a few days a week too. I thought he was really handsome and I wanted to get to know him, but I struggled to come up with a reason to approach him. He usually read a newspaper while he ate and I didn't want to disturb him."

"So, what happened?"

"One day the café was really crowded and when your dad came in there was only one table available. It was way in the back and impossible for your dad to get to because of his wheelchair. He asked me if he could sit with me and I said yes. Turned out he'd had an eye on me too, but he hadn't worked up the courage to approach me."

"Dad was shy? He's one of the most outgoing people I know."

"Back then he was a bit shy. It was only a couple of years after his accident and I think he still felt self conscious about being in a wheelchair. Anyway, we ended up chatting for a while and we really hit it off. So well that we both forgot to keep track of time and Auggie had to rush home because he had a conference call with his boss."

"Did you get his number?"

"No, he was in such a hurry that we both forgot about it. The next day I went to Europe on a writing assignment, but your dad told me he went back to the café every day for a week to have lunch, hoping he'd run into me again. Since I was out of the country I didn't come."

"So how did you meet again?"

"Back then Auggie worked from home and I was assigned to work with him. I was really nervous when I got the assignment; I wasn't really comfortable with working at a stranger's house, especially a man, but I needed the money. I was really nervous when I rang the doorbell on the first day and then I was very surprised when Auggie opened the door."

"I thought you knew his name?"

"I hadn't really caught his last name, and the paperwork said August Anderson, I didn't connect it with Auggie."

"Oh. So you worked together and fell in love?"

"Sort of. We became friends pretty fast and spent a lot of time together. After a while Auggie asked me to go on a date with him and we started dating. When we'd dated for a few months Auggie asked me to move in with him and the next summer he proposed to me."

"Was his proposal romantic?"

"Very. We were in Paris and he proposed to me late at night in front of the Eiffel Tower."

"Wow! I had no idea Dad could be romantic."

Annie just smiled and drained the potatoes, poured them back into the pot and started mashing them.

"There are many things you don't know about your old dad," Auggie stated with a smile as he entered the kitchen.

"Dad!" Elizabeth exclaimed with joy as she jumped off the barstool and hurried across the room to hug her father.

"Whoa! Have you missed me that much Lizzie? I guess I should go out of town more often."

"I've missed your cooking."

"Your mother's cooking isn't that bad Liz. Why are you talking about my abilities to be romantic by the way?"

"I asked mom how you met and then she told me about your proposal. You really proposed in front of the Eiffel tower?"

"Yep."

"Did you plan it?"

"Yeah, I bought the ring at Tiffany's before we left and planned on doing it our last evening there. I think I really surprised Annie."

"You did. We were both serious about our relationship, but I hadn't expected you to propose," Annie interjected.

"That's a cool story," Elizabeth exclaimed. "I bet none of my friends' dads' proposals were that romantic."

"I actually felt it was a bit cheesy," Auggie admitted. "But at the same time I couldn't let the opportunity to propose in front of the Eiffel tower pass me by."

"My dad, the cheesy romantic," Elizabeth teased as she hip checked Auggie's shoulder.

"Oh shut up and set the table, will you?" Auggie said with a laugh.

* * *

_The previous chapter got no feedback, so I hope you like this better._

_Please leave a review. Prompts or ideas for stories you want to read is also very welcome._


	10. Reunion with an old friend

**I'm on Twitter - go follow Millemini_FF :o)**

_I know I owe you an update in the A&A in college story, but the muse just isn't willing to play right now. Sorry!_

_Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter. :o) This chapter was prompted by a PM I received yesterday and it sort of came together during a slow day at work._

_DISCLAIMER: Don't own Annie or Auggie. _

* * *

**-10. Reunion with an old friend-**

"Who do you know that's graduating from Georgetown?" Annie asked Auggie as she sorted through their mail a Tuesday afternoon in early May.

"No one that I can think of," he answered with a puzzled look on his face. "Why?"

"Here," Annie said as she handed Auggie what appeared to be an invitation to a commencement ceremony at Georgetown. Auggie took it from her and opened it. A smile spread across his face as he read the invitation.

"She did it," he said.

"Who did what? I'm sorry Aug, you've lost me here."

"Allison, remember the quadriplegic girl I met in rehab?"

"Yeah, you told me about her a long time ago."

"She's graduating from Georgetown. I've been so busy lately, with work and the kids and life in general, that I haven't followed her blog. I know she's been taking a couple of classes a semester since she graduated high school and I guess she's finally got enough credits to graduate."

"How long has it been?"

"Hmm…" Auggie thought for a few moments. "Ten years. I can't believe how time flies."

"Are you going to go?"

"Yeah, I want to. It would be nice to see her again and see how she's getting along. And I'd love to introduce her to you. Do you think Danielle can watch the kids for a few hours?"

"Yeah, you know she loves toddlers and Chloe and Katia likes babysitting them too."

"Great. That's a plan then."

* * *

Two weeks later they were on the Healy lawn on the Georgetown campus. The ceremony was over and they were waiting for Allison to appear. After a few minutes she came down the pathway toward them and when she spotted Auggie a wide smile spread across her face.

"Auggie! You got the invitation. I wasn't sure if I got the address right, but I figured there couldn't be that many August Andersons in Tysons Corner."

"You got it right. Congratulations."

"Thanks! I'm so thrilled that I finally did it. Who's the lovely lady next to you?"

"Where are my manners? Allison, this is my wife Annie. Annie, this is Allison."

"Nice to meet you in person Allison. Auggie has told me about you and how you helped him get through his rehab."

"He just needed some perspective. How long have you been married?"

"It will be six years in June. Our twins will turn four next week," Annie replied.

"You have kids? That's awesome!"

"Yes, a boy and a girl; Ethan and Elizabeth. It can be an adventure, but at least we're done with the terrible twos now," Auggie said with a chuckle. A hand on his shoulder startled him slightly. It was Terrence, his physical therapist from rehab. Auggie hadn't seen him since he was discharged.

"Auggie Anderson! Great to see you again," he said with a smile.

"Terrence, how are you?"

"I'm good. How about you?"

"Very good, thank you. This is my wife Annie. Annie, this is Terrence, he was my physical therapist in rehab."

"Nice to meet you Terrence."

"Likewise. I heard Auggie mention the terrible twos. You have kids?"

"Four year old twins, boy and a girl."

"That's great. You still live in the area?"

"Yeah, we still live in the house I bought while I was in rehab. I hate to cut this short, but we're going to Annie's sister for a barbecue and we're already running late. It was great seeing both of you again. Do you still have your blog Allison?"

"Yes. Same address as before. I'm on Facebook and Twitter too, just search for my name."

"Great. I'll find you there then. I'll try to be better at keeping in touch."

They bid Allison and Terrence goodbye and hurried over to the car.

* * *

_Hope you liked it!_

_Reviews and ideas for these one-shots are much welcome. :o)_


	11. No wheelies on the dance floor

_Super short little update today. The muse haven't been very cooperative this weekend. Hopefully she'll be showing better behavior in the coming week._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie or Auggie. Just my universe and the characters I've created._

* * *

**-11. No wheelies on the ****dance floor-**

"Dad, can I ask you something?" Elizabeth Anderson took a tentative step into Auggie's home office. He turned away from his computer with a smile on his face.

"Sure, come on in and have a seat."

Elizabeth sat down on the couch and Auggie settled in across from her. It was obvious to him that his normally confident 14-year-old daughter was slightly nervous about whatever she was going to ask him.

"What do you want to talk to me about Liz?"

"Well, there's this dance at school in a couple of weeks and we're supposed to bring a parent. Mom said she'd go with Ethan and I was hoping you'd come with me. I understand if you don't want to, I'm sure a dance isn't all that fun to you."

"I'd love to come. I might not be able to bust crazy moves on the dance floor, but there are other ways to have a good time."

"I'm actually a bit relieved that you're not able to 'bust crazy moves on the dance floor' Dad. I have a feeling that some of my friends will be pretty mortified by the end of the evening."

"You never know what your mother will do," Auggie teased.

"Well, you're both going, so please just behave," Elizabeth pleaded.

"I'll do my best. No wheelies on the dance floor, scouts honor."

"You better honor that," Elizabeth said as she pointed her right index finger in Auggie's direction, attempting to look stern. She stood and as when she reached the door she turned to Auggie with a smile on her face. "Thanks Dad."

* * *

_Short, I know. I'd still like to hear what you think. _

**_Remember I'm on Twitter: Millemini_FF_**


	12. The Anniversary Trip part 1

_Glad you liked the super short previous chapter. Thanks for the reviews, follows and favorites. :o)_

_I've had a couple of requests for Annie and Auggie returning to Paris and some of you have asked about where Keith ended up. I figured this storyline was a great way to include both. This will be a multi-part storyline. Not exactly sure ow many parts, but I'm not planning on dragging it out._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other Character borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my characters and alternate universe._

* * *

**-The Anniversary Trip part 1-**

"Why can't Ethan and I come with you? We wanna go to Paris too. We could go to Eurodisney," Elizabeth whined as Annie and Auggie packed their bags. They were going to Paris for a week to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary and their 13-year-old twins weren't very happy that they were spending the week at home.

"Liz, we've been over this already. You're not coming on this trip and that's final," Annie said firmly.

"It sucks!"

"Stop it. Whining won't get you anywhere. Keith will stay here with you and I know you usually enjoy spending time with him," Auggie cut in as he threw a pair of folded jeans into his suitcase. Elizabeth sighed and slumped back against the pillows on her parents' bed.

"I know. The only thing that makes this okay is that we don't have to stay at Aunt Danielle's house. It was okay when Chloe and Katia were there, but now it's just boring."

"I know Keith have some great plans for you, so I'm sure you'll have a great time this week."

"Oh, what kind of plans Dad?" Elizabeth's mood perked up at the mention of that.

"He told me he wants it to be a surprise, so I'm not telling. You'll just have to wait and see," Auggie replied with a grin as he closed his suitcase and locked it. "But I'm sure you and Ethan will have a great week."

Before she could make further arguments the doorbell rang.

"Liz, get the door please. It's probably Keith."

"I don't understand why he doesn't have a key. He's here all the time anyway, it's just weird that he has to ring the doorbell," Elizabeth stated as she jumped off the door and headed to the front door to let Keith in. The truth was that she and her brother were kind of excited about spending the week with Keith.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

"Hey Keith, come on in, " Elizabeth greeted him as she opened the front door.

"Hi Liz! I hope you're not too bummed about being stuck with me for the week," he said as he entered the hallway and dumped the duffle bag his lap by the coatrack just inside the door.

"Dad said you have some great plans, but he refuses to say what they are because it's a surprise."

"Him telling would kind of ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?" Keith said with a smile. He actually looked forward to spending the week looking after Elizabeth and Ethan. Annie and Auggie were the people he was closest to after his parents, they'd been a great support through his college years at Georgetown while he was still adjusting to his disability and he'd worked with Auggie at Murphy for almost seven years, until Auggie had accepted a management position at a security software company five years earlier. He was grateful for all of the support Auggie and Annie had provided when he was at the lowest point of his life and it felt great to be able to do something for them, even this long after. It wasn't the first time he watched the twins, but it was the first time he'd be in charge of them for a full week.

"I guess so. It better be great," Elizabeth teased as hip checked his shoulder. He quickly grabbed her and tickled her side. He'd found the ticklish spot when she was a toddler and it was still there.

"Stop it Keith!" she exclaimed between giggles. "That's just mean."

"Hey Keith, stop torturing my daughter, will ya'?" Auggie said with a laugh as he joined them in the hallway.

"She asked for it," Keith stated with a smile as Elizabeth hurried into her room.

"I have no doubts," Auggie said with a knowing smile. "Thanks for watching them this week. Annie and I wanted to go to Paris for our 10th anniversary, but as you might remember; between chicken pox and a stomach flu that just didn't happen."

"I'm happy to help. I'm sure we'll have a great time."

"Me too. They've been whining a bit about not going to Paris with us, but I know they're looking forward to spending the week with you."

"You and Annie deserve an adult getaway. I guess we should go over the practicalities before you leave; although I know this house almost as well as my own."

"Considering how much time you've spent here over the past 15 years you should," Auggie chuckled. "We've stocked the fridge and pantries, but if you need anything or take them out to eat just keep track of it and we'll pay you back when we get home, okay?"

"If I take them out to dinner I'll pay Aug, it's my pleasure. Don't argue with me on this, because you're not going to win."

"Fair enough," Auggie said, holding his hands up in defeat. They spent the next fifteen minutes going through a few more things and then it was time for Annie and Auggie to head to Dulles to catch their redeye flight to Charles de Gaulle.

* * *

"Am I a bad mother if I say that I'm actually looking forward to a week with only the two of us?" Annie asked Auggie while they waited to board their flight a couple of hours later.

"If that makes you a bad mother I'm an equally bad father," Auggie said as he gave Annie's hand a squeeze. "We've barely been away just the two of us since we became parents. We deserve this break and the kids will have a good time with Keith. We can take them to Europe later, they're a bit too young to really enjoy Paris I think."

"You're right. All they've nagged us about have been Eurodisney."

"Exactly. This trip is all about you and me. We can enjoy the food, wine, art and architecture without worrying about them getting bored, which they inevitably would've been. Stop worrying about Liz and Ethan, they're in good hands."

"I know Aug. I trust Keith implicitly and from what I've heard about his plans for the week they'll have a blast. I'm sure they'll curse our return after a week with their cool 'uncle'."

"Yeah, it'll probably be a bummer when their boring old parents show up again."

"Remember the last time we were waiting to board a flight to Paris?"

"Yeah, I was so excited about going to Paris with you. I'm sure you can guess what's my favorite memory from that trip."

Auggie wrapped his arm around his wife's shoulders. "I have a hunch," he chuckled.

"You really surprised me. I didn't expect you to propose at all, so when you tugged on my hand and made your little speech about not being able to kneel, so sitting in your wheelchair would have to do it took me a few seconds to connect the dots. Then you pulled the ring from your pocket and it dawned on me what was happening. I think it was the happiest moment of my life. That and the day I gave birth to the twins."

"I was so nervous," Auggie admitted. "I'd been playing with the idea of proposing for a while, but we'd barely been dating for a year and I didn't want to rush things, so I'd decided to wait. When made the plans to go to Paris I realized I couldn't miss the opportunity to propose there. It felt a bit cheesy, but I knew I would've regretted it if I didn't propose there."

"It was perfect," Annie said and placed a kiss on his cheek. "And look at us now. 15 years later we're still together, still happy and very much in love with each other. We've had our rough patches, but we've worked through them and I think they've made our marriage even stronger."

"I agree. I can't imagine spending my life with anyone else."

They sat in comfortable silence, holding hands, until it was time to board the plane. When the plane pushed back from the gate 40 minutes later they were holding hands again.

"Paris, here we come," Auggie whispered into Annie's ear just as they started accelerating down the runway.

"Yes," Annie replied with a smile.

_-To be continued...-_

* * *

_Hope u liked it - stay tuned for part 2 and kill the wait by posting a review. ;o)_

_Oh, and if you're extra bored go follow me on Twitter: Millemini_FF_


	13. Parental Embarrasment

_Thanks for the feedback on the previous chapter. I'm working on part 2 of that, but a conversation with a friend of mine about childhood memories and being embarrassed by our parents inspired this. Since Martin is sleeping off a hangover after he went out with a group of college buddies last night I decided to spend the __morning writing and get this published before he wakes up._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other character I've borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and the characters I've created within that._

* * *

**-13. Parental embarrasment-**

Elizabeth Walker Anderson was spending the night at a friend's house. It was late at night and they'd been chatting about everything from boys, school and childhood memories. Claire and her family had only moved into ta house a block down the street from the Anderson's a couple of months earlier and she'd hit it off with Elizabeth pretty fast. They were both starting their junior year of high school the following week.

"Why is Mr. A in a wheelchair?"

"He was skiing with his brothers, off-piste, and hit a rock that was hidden under the snow. He broke his back and injured his spinal cord in the fall."

"What was it like for you when that happened, was it a big change?"

"It happened before I was born. If I remember correctly he met Mom about three years after his accident, they got married two years after that and another two years later they had Ethan and me. So to me Dad is just Dad. Him being in a wheelchair is normal."

"Mhmmm… You're never embarrassed because your dad's disabled?"

"No! Why would I be embarrassed about that? It's not Dad's fault that he was injured and there's nothing he can do to change that. I'm actually kind of grateful that I've grown up with a disabled father."

"Huh? Why's that?" Claire sounded surprised.

"Because it has given me a different perspective on many things. To me Dad has always been Dad, when I was younger I didn't put much thought into the fact that he was different and I didn't pay much attention to how people treat him. As I've gotten older I've learned a lot."

"What do you mean?"

"There's one incident that really stands out in my memory. I think Ethan and I were about eight or nine years old. Mom was in Europe on a writing assignment and we were alone with Dad. That happened on a regular basis from we were very young and Dad never had any problem with taking care of us. He's a great cook and we usually ad a great time when Mom was overseas. Anyway, we were at the grocery store and Ethan threw a tantrum when Dad refused to buy him candy on a weekday or something like that. Dad never gave in to stuff like that, and he was about to calm Ethan down when this lady came over. She started talking to Ethan, completely ignoring Dad, telling him to behave until Mom got there and be kind to the man in the wheelchair. I don't remember exactly what Dad said, but he was pretty pissed and told her he was perfectly capable of handling his own son and that she could just stop meddling. When the lady realized that Dad was alone with both of us she started making a big deal about a cripple taking care of young children and how completely irresponsible that was."

"Wow, that's rude. People really do that?" Claire seemed to be shocked.

"Yep. Not often, but it does happen. That's the worst incident I remember. The more frequent ones are the 'this is so amazing and inspirational' people that thinks it's amazing that a man in a wheelchair can take care of two kids or the ones that completely ignores him and asks Mom or whoever else he's with what he wants to eat at restaurants or how he wants to pay when they're out shopping together. Fortunately most people treat him normally, like the capable, smart person he is, but I know incidents like that frustrates him. It's only his legs that don't work; there's nothing wrong with the rest of him. He's been in a wheelchair for more than 20 years now, so I bet he's met his fair share of prejudiced people. Would you be embarrassed if one of your parents were in an accident tomorrow and ended up with a disability?"

"I've never thought about that… I hope not. You're seriously never embarrassed by your Dad?"

"Oh, Dad does embarrass me sometimes, but it has nothing to do with his disability. It's just because Dad is being Dad and he can be sort of goofy sometimes."

"I've noticed that. And he's got a pretty sharp tongue," Claire said. She'd already been on the receiving end of some of Auggie's quick comebacks and witty remarks.

"Yep. He always has to have the last word. Drives Mom crazy sometimes. And Ethan and me."

"Doesn't all parents want to have the last word? I know my parents do."

"I guess," Elizabeth shrugged. "Anyway, are you ready for school next week?"

* * *

_I hope you liked it - please leave a review and let me know! Also appreciate any ideas or prompts for these one-shots. :o)_


	14. The Anniversary Trip part 2

_Without further ado here's the second and final part of "The Anniversary Trip". Hope you like it. :o) _

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other character I've borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and the characters I've created._

* * *

**-14. The Anniversary Trip part 2-**

A couple of days after their parents went to Paris Elizabeth and Ethan had pretty much let go of the disappointment not being allowed to go with Annie and Auggie. They were having a blast with Keith; they'd spent two consecutive nights watching scary movies, eating popcorn and falling asleep in a heap on the couch in the den. It was something Annie and Auggie rarely allowed. The third night Keith told them to go to bed before midnight, because he had big plans for the following day; they were spending the day at Kings Dominion theme park. Both Ethan and Elizabeth were excited and because they were both a bit sleep deprived from their all-night movie watching the previous two nights neither of them objected to going to bed.

* * *

On their second morning in Paris Auggie woke up with Annie's back against his front and he had his arms firmly wrapped around her. He hated to admit it, but it felt good to spend a week away from work and the kids; just the two of them. Although Auggie was more of a morning person than Annie he also appreciated the opportunity to sleep in, lounge in bed and then eat a late breakfast whenever they felt like getting up. His mind slipped back to the first few years after his accident; it had been the darkest time in his life and he hadn't allowed himself to hope for what he had now. He pulled Annie even closer to him and kissed the crown of her head. She stirred in Auggie's arms and he reluctantly loosened his grip and she shifted in bed so she was facing him.

"Morning sleepy," he said with a smile on his face. "Sleep well?"

"Like a baby. You look sort of pensive this morning. Have trouble sleeping?"

"No, I've just been enjoying the feeling of having you in my arms and thinking about how lucky I am to have you in my life. God knows where I'd been if you hadn't come into my life when you did. Probably still working from home, still a hermit and still estranged from my family."

"I doubt that Aug, you told me yourself you wanted to get back in touch with your family and that you'd realized you needed to change things. I'm sure you would've made that step without me."

"I actually don't know. Although I was aware I needed to change things I kept coming up with excuses to stay within my comfort zone. I know now I was an idiot, but you know how damn stubborn I am."

"And your stubbornness got you to where you are today. That's what got you through rehab and kept you going after your accident. You're a pretty amazing man," Annie said as she pulled him in for a passionate kiss. "Don't you ever forget that."

"And you're a pretty amazing woman."

Annie smiled and caressed the hollow at the base of Auggie's throat with the tip of her tongue, causing him to shudder with desire and wrap his arms firmly around her.

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Half an hour later they were lying in the rumpled sheets, Annie was resting her head on Auggie's shoulder and she was tracing the taut muscles on his abdomen with her right hand.

"You're lucky I'm not ticklish," he said with a grin.

"I know your ticklish spots Mr. Anderson," Annie teased as she moved her hand to lightly tickle Auggie's side. He laughed and grabbed her hand.

"I think I prefer you tracing my six-pack," he said as he placed it back on his abdomen. Instead of resuming her tactile exploration of her husband Annie sat up in bed.

"As much as I enjoy that I think it's time for us to get out of bed and explore the city again. It would be a shame to come home and only have X-rated tales from our hotel room to tell. It's nearly noon and I'm hungry. What do you think about grabbing some lunch?"

"I'm actually starving," Auggie said as he sat up and lifted his legs over the side of the bed. He stretched before he transferred to his wheelchair and headed into the bathroom to shower.

* * *

The week in Paris was very much a repetition of their visit 16 years earlier; they went to see the sights and enjoyed copious amounts of French cuisine and wine. They also did some shopping both for themselves and gifts for the kids. On their final evening Auggie insisted that they should go to the Palais de Challiot to see the illuminated Eiffel tower like they'd done on the final evening of their previous visit. They watched the Eiffel tower sparkle and after sharing a passionate kiss they went back to their hotel. After they'd taken off their jackets Auggie surprised Annie by handing her a box from Tiffany & Co. She gasped when she opened the turquoise box and the contents turned out to be a set of a necklace, bracelet and earrings in platinum with diamonds. Annie had drooled over it when they'd been to Tiffany's to get a present for Danielle on her 50th birthday.

"Auggie! Are you insane? This is…amazing. Thank you." Part of her wanted to protest, she knew how expensive the jewelry was, but she knew they could afford it and she didn't want to ruin the moment for Auggie by arguing about the cost. Instead she thanked him again and kissed him passionately.

"I know I haven't exactly been good at giving you jewelry throughout our marriage, but I saw how much you loved this and I knew I had to get it for you."

"Well, I don't need lots of expensive jewelry to know that you love me. You know that."

"I do," Auggie reassured her. Before he could speak again there was a knock on the door and a waiter appeared with a room service trolley with a bottle of champagne in a cooler and a bowl of strawberries. Auggie tipped the waiter and Annie sat down on the edge of the bed and removed her Louboutins. When she finished Auggie held out a glass of champagne in her direction.

"I still don't understand how you manage to walk around on those death traps."

"Years of practice babe," Annie said with a smile as she accepted the glass from Auggie.

* * *

"I wonder what Mom and Dad have been up to all week," Ethan mused as they ate dinner the evening before Annie and Auggie were returning to DC. They'd spent a quiet day at home, playing in the pool and since it had started to rain they'd spent the afternoon inside playing board games. Since Keith's plan of a barbecue for dinner had fallen through because of the weather they'd ended up calling for pizza.

"I'm sure Mom's been dragging Dad to all kinds of designer stores. She loves to shop and I'd be surprised if she didn't buy some shoes or something in Paris."

"Poor Dad if that's true," Ethan winced.

"I'm sure your parents have had a great time. There are lots of things to see in Paris and I know the city is very special to both of them. And tomorrow afternoon you'll find out all about it," Keith interjected as he grabbed a slice of pizza. "I hope this week haven't been too bad. I know you would've preferred going to Paris with your parents."

"We've had a great time," Elizabeth assured Keith. "You really are our coolest uncle."

"Well, thank you Liz," he said with smirk. "Although you'd better not tell your uncles in Illinois that."

"I won't," she said with a wink.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

Late that evening they all three of them were in the den, relaxing on the couch. A movie was playing in the background, but neither of them was paying attention to it.

"How'd you become friends with Mom and Dad? I know you're from Glencoe like Dad, but you're about ten years younger than him so you didn't go to school together." It had hit Ethan over the week that although Keith had always been part of their lives and he was close to his father he had no idea how they'd ended up as friends.

"I was injured in a diving accident in the summer between my junior and senior year of high school. At the time things were rough at home; my dad was unemployed and we were barely scraping by on Mom's income as a teacher and my part-time job at Subway. The timing couldn't have been worse and I was depressed for a long time after my accident. Our medical insurance didn't cover proper rehab for me and I had pretty much given up. When I returned to school I just didn't care about anything. I'd been an athlete, a damn good one, and all of a sudden I was a cripple in a wheelchair. It was a big change and I didn't know how to deal with it. One of my teachers ran into Auggie when he was in Glencoe over Christmas break and he came to an assembly at school. I remember being amazed by him; he's kind of a legend at New Trier. One of the best athletes the school has ever seen and he was Valedictorian of his class. I had no idea he was paralyzed so when they introduced him and he wheeled into the gymnasium my jaw dropped. He was wearing his letterman jacket and came across as confident and together."

"That sounds like Dad," Ethan interjected.

"Anyway, after the assembly Coach Carpenter had arranged for Auggie and I to meet. I was waiting for him in one of the locker rooms and I wasn't too thrilled about the idea. I didn't want another cheerleader. I told Auggie that and he said that he wasn't going to be that, but if I wanted to talk he was in town for a couple of weeks and he'd take me out for dinner or something. He gave me his card and l went to class. I met him a few days later and he ended up offering me a summer internship at Murphy; the only condition was that I had to get my grades up. That changed a lot for me. I finally had something to look forward to and I started making an effort at school again. It paid off; I spent the summer working at Murphy and I stayed with your folks. When I started studying at Georgetown they were a great support and we've been good friends ever since. I can thank Auggie for where I am today. If he hadn't come into my life when he did I don't know where I'd ended up."

* * *

Annie and Auggie's flight landed at Dulles right on time. The part of flying Auggie hated most was that he always had to wait until the rest of the passengers had disembarked the plane before they came aboard with the aisle chair. Fortunately this flight wasn't full and the process went fairly quickly and they had his wheelchair waiting just outside the plane. After he'd settled into it he thanked the staff for their assistance and he and Annie headed off to baggage claim. An hour later Auggie was behind the wheel of his BMW with Annie in the passenger seat. Before he started the car he turned to Annie.

"Thank you for a wonderful time," he said with a smile. "I'm glad we did this."

"I'm glad we did this too, but I have to admit I miss the kids."

"So do I. Let's hope they missed us too," Auggie said with a small laugh as he turned the key in the ignition.

* * *

_Please leave a review and let me know what you think :o)_

_I've tweeted a pic of the Tiffany & Co. jewelry set Auggie got Annie - check out Millemini_FF on Twitter._


	15. I'm Here For You Bro part 1

_This idea was pitched to me via PM a while back and I've been working on it for a while with Martin's help. Martin actually went through something similar with his cousin a couple of years after his accident so again his help has been incredibly valuable._

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other character I've borrowed from Covert Affairs. Just my universe and the characters I've created._

* * *

**-15. "I'm there for you bro" part 1 -**

"Auggie, someone's at the door…" Annie mumbled as she nudged her husband's shoulder. It was close to 1 am and they weren't expecting any company. Why someone was on their doorstep at this hour was a mystery to Annie.

"What…" Auggie mumbled sleepily.

"Someone's at the door. Can't you hear the doorbell?"

Just as Annie finished her sentence the doorbell went off again.

"What the hell?" Auggie was suddenly wide-awake. He looked at his alarm clock and threw the covers back. Seconds later he'd settled into his wheelchair and headed for the front door. Annie jumped out of bed and hurried after her husband of just two months down the hall.

"Who's there?" Auggie asked through the door when he reached it.

"It's me. Josh," the voice of Auggie's middle brother Josh came through the door. Auggie immediately undid the deadbolt and the locks and opened the door. The sight of his brother startled him. He was pale, it appeared he hadn't shaved that morning, his hair was a mess and it looked like he'd been crying.

"Josh? What's going on?" Auggie asked as he moved back a couple of feet and gestured for Josh to enter. He didn't move. "What's it gonna be Josh? Are you coming inside or what? It's gettin' kinda cold." Auggie was only wearing a pair of sleep pants and the cool autumn breeze on his bare torso made him shiver slightly.

"Oh…sorry…I'm kinda out if it," Josh mumbled as he grabbed the handle of his black suitcase and stepped inside. Annie quickly closed and locked the door behind him.

"I have a feeling we'll be up for a while. Annie, do you mind starting some coffee while I grab a shirt?"

"Sure. Josh, just put your bag in one of the guest rooms."

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Ten minutes later they were all in the living room. Annie and Auggie were sitting on the couch together and Josh was sitting in Auggie's well-worn brown leather armchair across from them. He was leaning forward, forearms resting on his thighs and his hands clutched together. After a few beats of silence Auggie decided enough was enough. Something was going on and he wanted to know why Josh had showed up on his doorstep in the middle of the night.

"What's going on Josh? And I won't buy 'nothing'. If that was the case you wouldn't be here."

Josh took a deep breath. When he finally started to speak the words came tumbling out of his mouth. "I have cancer. Got the diagnosis on Monday. My doctor referred me to an oncologist at Georgetown University Hospital that's supposed to be the best in this field. I have an appointment with him in the morning. When I left O'Hare I thought I'd be here around six, but my flights were all screwed up and I landed at Reagan after 11. Took me a while to get my rental car and get here. I'm sorry I didn't call ahead – I just had no idea what to say over the phone…" Josh's voice trailed off again.

"Have to say I'm a bit surprised Mom haven't called," Auggie interjected.

"She doesn't know. No one knows," Josh sighed. "I want to see the doctor at Georgetown and find out what my prognosis is and what kind of treatments I'm going to have to do."

"I see. What sort of cancer?"

"Bone cancer. I have a tumor in my left calf. I've been having pain in the leg off and on for a while, but last week it got so bad I decided to see my doctor."

"Shit! What are the treatment options and prognosis? Did he say anything about that?"

"It depends…radiation, surgery and chemo or a combination of two or more of those. I guess I'll find out more tomorrow."

"Do you want me to come with you?" Auggie offered as he had a sip of his coffee.

"You don't have to. I'm sure you have work and stuff…" Josh said.

"I'll call in. We're kind of in between projects right now, so I'm not particularly busy. If you want me to come with you I will."

"Well…if you're sure that would be great."

"I'm sure. I'm there for you bro. Now, it's getting late and we could all use some sleep. Let's go to bed," Auggie said with a yawn. He transferred back to his wheelchair and gathered up their empty mugs and brought them to the kitchen where he rinsed them and left them in the sink.

* * *

When Auggie entered the kitchen the next morning he found Josh slumped on one of the barstools by the kitchen island, clutching a mug between his hands.

"Morning Aug. There's coffee ready."

"Morning," Auggie said as he poured himself a mug of coffee. "We should get going soon, traffic's a nightmare at this hour."

"I know," Josh sighed. "Would you mind driving Auggie? I'm not too familiar with the area."

"Sure."

They finished their coffee in silence and twenty minutes later Auggie backed his car out of the garage. Josh was sitting in the passenger seat, nervously wringing his hands. They didn't say much during the drive to Georgetown University Hospital. While they navigated through the corridors to the oncology department Auggie noticed that Josh was limping slightly.

"Okay, this is it," he said as he stopped outside a door marked "Kyle D. Manning, M.D."

They entered the waiting area and Josh checked in at the reception desk. Auggie parked his wheelchair next to the row of chairs in the waiting area. They were the only people in the room, except for the secretary behind the desk. There were a few magazines on a small table between him and the chairs that held a potted plant and a few magazines. He absentmindedly grabbed a travel magazine and started flipping through it. He'd never been a huge fan of hospitals and being stuck in one for 10 weeks after his accident hadn't helped, but he wanted to support his brother. Joel was given a clipboard with a bunch of forms to fill out and settled in the chair next closest to Auggie. As he started to write Auggie noticed his hands were trembling.

"You doing okay?" Auggie asked quietly.

Josh shrugged. "Not really, I'm nervous."

"Want me to play secretary?" Auggie offered, holding out his hand. Josh hesitantly handed him the clipboard and the pen. They finished filling out the forms just as the door into the doctor's office opened and a middle-aged man wearing blue scrubs appeared and called Josh's name. Auggie handled Josh the clipboard.

"Here."

"You're not coming in with me?"

Auggie was a bit puzzled by Josh's request; he hadn't thought he'd be accompanying him into the doctor's office.

"What? Um…sure if you want me to and it's okay with Dr. Manning."

The doctor nodded in approval and headed into his office.

# # # # # # # # # # # # #

"I honestly feel that amputation followed by chemo is your best choice," Dr. Manning said a couple of hours later. He'd thoroughly examined Josh's leg and gone through his medical records and the results of the tests he'd been given back in Illinois.

"Amputation?" Josh gasped in disbelief.

"Yes. The tumor is pretty ingrained in the muscles and blood vessels in your leg and even if we manage to save the leg it won't be very functional. It will never be the same again. I get that this is a lot to process, so I suggest you think it over 'till tomorrow and get back to me? I want to schedule your surgery as soon as possible."

Josh simply nodded and left the office in a hurry before Auggie even managed to reach for the brake release on his wheelchair.

"Mr. Anderson?"

"Yes?"

"I realize this must be a huge shock for your brother, but I wouldn't recommend amputation if it wasn't the best option for him. Because of the nature of his tumor a limb saving surgery will leave him with a pretty un-functional lower left leg. He'll need a brace to stabilize it and he'll probably suffer from chronic pain. We'll be able to amputate well below the knee and he shouldn't have any problem getting a well fitting prosthesis that will allow him to function pretty much as before."

"Makes sense. He just needs some time to process everything; I'll talk to him later."

"Good. Thanks for your time."

"Thanks Doc," Auggie said and left the doctors office. Josh was waiting for him just outside the door; he was leaning against the wall with his head hanging. Without a word he followed Auggie to his car and settled into the passenger seat while Auggie got into the drivers seat. The drive back to Tysons Corner was just as silent as the one to the drive to the hospital a couple of hours earlier. As soon as Auggie pulled in to the garage and turned off the ignition Josh got out and headed in to the house.

# # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Josh stayed in the guest room for the rest of the day. Auggie had given Annie a quick rundown of what had happened at the doctor's office and they decided not to push Josh to talk. At least not right away. Late in the afternoon Annie and Auggie prepared dinner together and when it was almost ready to serve Auggie went down the hall and knocked on Josh's door.

"Josh, dinner's ready if you're hungry," he called through the closed door. Then he turned and headed back to the kitchen. He wasn't about to plead Josh to come to the table; if he wanted to be left alone Auggie would leave him alone. He'd come out when he was ready.

Annie and Auggie had been eating in silence for a few minutes when they heard the guest room door open. A moment later Josh entered the kitchen and sat down. He served himself a portion of spaghetti and meatballs and started eating. After a few bites he put down his fork and wiped his mouth. His eyes started to water and he sniffled. Auggie put down his fork and placed his hand on Josh's forearm.

"Do you wanna talk about it?" he prodded gently.

"I guess. I've been trying to work this out in my head all day and it's not getting any clearer to me. I don't know what to do. I'll loose either way."

"Amputate." Auggie sad matter-of-factly.

"What?" Josh sounded shocked and his eyes were so wide with surprise that it looked like they were about to pop out of his head.

"That way you're 100% sure they get it all and you stand a much better chance of having a working leg than with the other surgery."

"How do you know that?" Josh asked.

"Well, according to the doctor the tumor has ingrained itself in the muscles and blood vessels in your leg and a limb saving surgery will leave you with a pretty un-functional leg. You'll need a brace to stabilize your leg from the knee down, you'll probably need a cane or a crutch and you'll be dealing with chronic pain. You won't be able to run or anything like that."

"And cutting off the leg will allow me to run the fucking New York Marathon?" Josh shot back.

"If that's what you want, yes. With the right training and a well functioning prosthesis you'll be able to function pretty much as before."

"How can you be so sure about that?"

"Well, I spent about three and a half months at a rehab facility a few years ago and although I was in the spinal unit I met a few amputees in the common areas. I actually became pretty good friends with this one guy, Darren. He'd been in a car crash and the lower part of his left leg had been pretty much crushed. Initially he refused amputation and went to rehab to retrain his leg. He ended up opting for amputation and was in rehab for the second time when I met him. Said he'd been a fucking moron and that he'd wasted his and the therapists time because he was so damn stubborn."

"Huh…really?"

"Yep. If you want to I can get in touch with him. He's on Facebook and Twitter."

"Maybe later," Josh said hesitantly.

"Just let me know. And Josh; you're more than welcome to stay with us while you go through your treatment. We'll support you in every way we can."

"Thanks bro," Josh replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

_To be continued…_

* * *

_Hope you liked this and that you're interested in following Josh's journey. I know it's not A&A fluff or cuteness with the kids, but I felt like writing something a bit __angsty._

_Please review! :o)_


	16. I'm Here For You Bro part 2

_I'm so behind on all of my writing... Work is just insane these days and when I get home in the evenings I'm often so exhausted that I just feel like flopping down on the couch and watch TV 'till bedtime. Martin's work situation is similar and most evenings we've ended up with making a quick dinner and just relaxing with some TV or a movie before going to bed. Last night I finally found some time to write, while Martin was watching some move that didn't really appeal to me. He gave this a quick read through and gave me the thumbs up to post it._

_I'm still totally stuck on how to continue "Senior Year at North Shore University". I've sort of written myself into a dead end on that story and don't really know how to get out of it. Considering doing an extensive re-write and make a version 2.0 maybe (sort of like Beth Geek Chic did with "Strangers on a Train"). If you have any ideas please feel free to pitch them to me via review or PM. _

_DISCLAIMER: I don't own Annie, Auggie or any other Covert Affairs character I've borrowed. Just the characters I've created and my universe._

* * *

**-16. I'm Here For You Bro, part 2-**

"How are you holding up?" Auggie asked Josh, who was sitting on the edge of his bed at Georgetown University Hospital. After his conversation with Auggie over dinner and some more thinking overnight he'd called Dr. Manning the following morning to inform him that he'd decided on amputation. To their surprise Dr. Manning had said he wanted to do the surgery the following morning and Josh had been admitted to the hospital right after noon. Josh had called his employer to let them know what was going on and they'd been very supportive and told him to take all the time he needed to recover and if he wanted to work from home for a while when he felt up for it he was welcome to. As soon as Josh had been admitted they'd run a battery of tests and pre-op preparations on him and in the morning they'd perform the surgery and amputate the lower part of his left leg.

"Okay I guess. It's all happening so fast…I mean…little over a week ago I thought I was fine and now I'm about to have my leg cut off…"

"I know the feeling of having your life turned upside down in an instant," Auggie said.

"I guess you're kind of an expert in the field, huh?" Josh said with a slight chuckle, nervously fingering the edge of the sheet on his bed.

"I guess I am," Auggie said with a shrug. "Listen Josh, I know this his hard, but trust me when I say you will get through this."

"Don't have much of a choice do I?"

"Nope…" Auggie's cell phone buzzing in his pocket interrupted. He pulled it out and saw his parent's landline number on the screen and held it up for Josh to see. "It's probably Mom. What do you want me to tell her?"

Josh closed his eyes briefly. "The truth. She'll find out anyway."

"Good call," Auggie said with a small smile, and then he pushed the screen to answer the call. "It's Auggie."

He was correct in assuming it was his mother.

"Hi Auggie. How are you?"

"I'm pretty good. How about you?"

"All's good here, except I'm worried about Josh. He's been kind of off lately and I haven't heard from him since last week."

"He's here." Auggie said.

"What? He's in DC? For work?"

Auggie sighed and closed his eyes momentarily while he tried to figure out how to tell his mother that one of her sons had cancer and was about to have one of his legs amputated. He decided to go with being straightforward and honest.

"Not exactly. Mom, Josh is sick. He's got bone cancer and he was admitted to Georgetown University Hospital today. He's having surgery tomorrow."

"Oh my God…" Carol breathed. "What kind of surgery?"

"Josh has a tumor in his lower left leg. Because of how the tumor has ingrained itself in his muscles and blood vessels they're going to amputate his lower left leg."

"Amputate? There's no way to save the leg?"

"Not if he wants to be able to function and not deal with chronic pain. If he'd opted for what they call limb saving surgery he'd need a brace on his lower left leg to support it and probably a cane or a crutch too. And the doctor was pretty sure he'd get serious chronic pain issues as well. He'll be far less disabled with a good prosthesis."

"But, it's his leg…"

"I know Mom, but the doctor think this is the best option and he's one of the best in his field."

"And it's just the surgery and they think the cancer is gone?"

"They want him to go through a course of chemo, just to make sure they get all the cancer cells. I've offered him to stay with Annie and me while he goes through his treatment."

"Well, your Dad and I will fly to DC tomorrow. Are you with Josh now?"

"Yeah, want a word with him?"

"If he's okay with it."

Auggie held out the phone to Josh who grabbed it reluctantly. After a short, but emotional conversation he ended the call and handed the phone back to Auggie.

"Mom and Dad are coming tomorrow," he said as he moved in the bed so he was leaning against the pillows instead of sitting on the edge. "They'll call or text you when they've got their flights sorted."

"Got it," Auggie replied. "It's getting pretty late, I should get home and get some sleep. I'll be here bright and early in the morning."

"Thanks Aug. I doubt I'll be able to get much sleep, but I'll try."

Auggie grabbed the backpack that was hanging on the back of his wheelchair and dug around in it for a second until he found what he was looking for. His iPad; it was loaded with plenty of TV-series and movies.

"Here, I know you and I have the same taste in movies and TV, so this should keep you entertained for a while."

"Wow, thanks Auggie," Josh said with a small smile as he grabbed the iPad from Auggie along with a charger and a set of earbuds. They said good-bye and Auggie headed home for the night.

* * *

Auggie was in the surgical waiting area when his parents arrived in the early afternoon. They saw him almost immediately and his mother hurried over and hugged him. After the initial greetings they started questioning him.

"How is Josh holding up?" Carol asked, concern lacing her voice.

"He was fine yesterday, said things were moving too fast for him to get worked up about it. In a way I think that's a good thing, kind of like when I was injured."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't thing being prepared would've made the adjustment easier."

"You don't think having time to get used to the thought would've helped?" His mother seemed slightly puzzled.

"Not really. I can't imagine spending months knowing that after a certain date I wouldn't be able to walk again. Anyway, how are you guys holding up?"

"We're okay. Worried about Josh. One thing is that he's losing his leg, but there's the cancer to worry about too," John said

"Since he agreed to amputate they're sure they'll get the entire tumor, the chemo is more of a precaution, because there's still cancer cells in his bloodstream. His prognosis is good," Auggie reassured his parents. Part of him hated that they had to go through this. He knew they'd had a rough time after his accident, especially since he'd estranged himself from them and the rest of the family for the first couple of years after the accident. Now they had to deal with another son with a disability and on top of that serious illness. Auggie swore to himself that he'd do anything in his power to stop Josh from making the same mistakes as he'd made five years earlier. Before he could say anything else Dr. Manning appeared in the doorway and Auggie introduced them to his parents.

"The surgery went very well. He's got a good shaped residual limb and shouldn't have any trouble getting a well fitting prosthesis. He's in recovery right now, but he'll be moved back to his room in a few hours. You can't see him until then, I'm sorry."

"It's okay," John Anderson assured the doctor. "We'll go out of dinner and be back later. You have Auggie's contact info if you need to get a hold of us, right?"

"I do," the doctor confirmed, the he turned and walked out of the room.

# # # # # # # # # # #

They headed to a diner about a block away from the hospital to have dinner and catch up a bit. When they got there it was busier than they anticipated and Auggie's parents seemed a bit flustered when the only available table was in a booth and to make matters worse the booth was elevated a couple of inches.

"Oh, Auggie, we can go somewhere else," his mother exclaimed when she realized that the table wasn't really accessible to him.

"It's fine Mom," Auggie said with a reassuring smile as he positioned his wheelchair next to the bench on one side of the booth and transferred to it. "Working out three to four times a week pays off."

"I guess so," John said as he and Carol slid into the bench on the opposite side of the table. Auggie noticed that they were a bit flustered by it; although they'd adjusted pretty well to his disability over the two years since they'd reconnected they hadn't been around each other enough for them to get truly comfortable around him in a wheelchair. They stayed in touch, but phone calls and emails weren't the same as spending time together. A waitress approached their table. She left three menus on the table, informed them that the special of the day was a chili stew and took their drink orders.

As soon as the waitress was out of earshot Carol turned to Auggie.

"How long have you known about Josh?"

"A few days. He turned up at my house at 1 am on Tuesday, I came with him to his appointment with Dr. Manning that morning."

"You should've called us," Carol stated, shooting an annoyed look at Auggie.

"Josh asked me not to tell you until he knew his prognosis and what the treatment was going to be. Then everything just happened so fast and we just got so caught up in everything… I had no idea he'd be operated on this soon," Auggie said apologetically. It was the truth, with everything happening so fast calling John and Carol had just slipped his mind. The waitress returned with their drinks and they all ordered the special.

"I just hope he doesn't push us away…" Carol said. Auggie felt a bit like he'd been slapped.

"I'll do my best to make sure that doesn't happen, Auggie reassured his mother. "That was the biggest mistake of my life and if I could turn back time and change things I would've let you be there with me every step of the way. I sure as hell could've needed the support, but I was too damn proud and stubborn to call you."

"Well, that's all water under the bridge now," John cut in. "We can't keep dwelling on mistakes that are in the past. Lets focus on getting Josh through this. I don't think we have to worry about Auggie."

"Nope, you don't have to worry about me," Auggie agreed. "I'm healthy as a horse, don't think I've been in this good shape since high school."

John and Carol looked a bit flustered.

"What? Apart from not being able to walk there's nothing wrong with me. I work out on a regular basis and on the weekends Annie and I usually go on long bike rides."

"Bike rides?" Carol said with disbelief lacing her voice.

"Hand cycle Mom."

"Oh, right. Didn't think about that… I guess Josh will have to get one of those too."

"I doubt that'll be necessary. He should be able to use a regular bike without problems."

"Oh…"

"Mom, Josh will be far less disabled than me as soon as his leg is healed and he's fitted with a prosthesis. When he wears long pants you'll probably not be able to tell that anything is wrong with him. For the first few months he'll be on crutches or in a wheelchair though."

"I just don't know anything about these things and I have no idea what to expect…" Carol's voice trailed off and her eyes got moist.

"Well, I happen to know a little something about these things and Josh has got a rough few months ahead, but he'll be okay."

Their food arrived and as they ate Auggie did his best to calm his parents' nerves and answer their questions. He made a mental note to get in touch with Darren as soon as possible.

# # # # # # # # # # # #

Late in the afternoon they were finally allowed to see Josh. He'd been awake for a little bit in the ICU and according to the nurse they'd talked to he was doing better than they'd expected. When they entered the room Carol gasped; Josh's left leg was elevated and there was no doubt that the lower part of it was gone. He was hooked up to a few monitors, a couple of IV's and there was a drain coming out of the bandage. Carol rounded the bed, sat down in one of the two chairs next to the bed and grasped his hand. John sat in the other and Auggie sat next to them in his wheelchair. After a few minutes Josh opened his eyes.

"Hey," he croaked out in a hoarse voice. "Mom, Dad…"

"Hi honey, how do you feel?"

Josh shrugged and glanced at his left leg, then he turned away and faced his parents again. "Okay…I guess… It's real, huh? I'm now the one-legged Anderson boy."

"Well at least you've still got one working leg and no wheels," Auggie cut in with a teasing grin. It caused Josh to smile slightly.

"Auggie," his mother admonished, clearly not appreciating his sense of humor.

"What? It's the truth," he said with a shrug as he shifted in his wheelchair.

"We'll make one hell of a team; Anderson gimp number one," Josh said as he pointed to Auggie, then he pointed to himself. "And Anderson gimp number two."

"Watch out world," Auggie said with a laugh. He was glad Josh seemed to have kept his sense of humor, even if their parents didn't like it.

* * *

_Hope you liked it. Please leave a review. I love them and the muse loves them even more._


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